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The museum this fall acquired tens of thousands of reptile and amphibian specimens from Oregon State University, many of which are snakes. The development places the university in a unique position, according to Schneider, the research museum collections manager for the museum's division of reptiles and amphibians. “I’m fairly confident we’ll have the largest snake collection in the world,” he said. The extensive new additions also will allow scientists to conduct new snake and amphibian research, perhaps looking at trait evolution in mothers and their offspring. The "largest snake collection" title would be nice, but Schneider said the true promise of a big collection is new research opportunities.

Persons: — Greg Schneider, Schneider, ”, Lynne Houck, Stevan Arnold, ” Schneider, “, Hernán, Dan Rabosky Organizations: University of Michigan Museum, Oregon State University, Oregon State, Michigan, Smithsonian, American Museum of, University of Kansas, Michigan's, Michigan's Department of Ecology, Museums Center Locations: Mich, U.S, Michigan, Washington, New York, Oregon, Michigan's Department

☆ US judge throws out two soccer bribery convictions
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Sept 2 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge has thrown out the convictions of a former Fox executive and an Argentine sports marketing company for attempting to bribe soccer officials in exchange for lucrative broadcasting contracts. In a Friday night decision, U.S. District Judge Pamela Chen in Brooklyn said the March 9 convictions of Hernan Lopez and Full Play Group could not stand because the federal law governing honest services wire fraud did not cover foreign commercial bribery. The judge also voided Lopez's and Full Play's money laundering convictions, because they were predicated on the fraud convictions. David Sarratt, a lawyer for Lopez, said: "We are obviously pleased with Judge Chen's thorough and correct decision. At least 31 people and corporate entities pleaded guilty, and two soccer officials were convicted in a 2017 jury trial.

Persons: Hernan Lopez, Brendan McDermid, Pamela Chen, Joseph Percoco, Andrew Cuomo, Chen, Lopez's, Attorney Breon, David Sarratt, Lopez, Chen's, Carlos Ortiz, Ortiz, Prosecutors, Carlos Martinez, Alejandro Burzaco, Torneos, Jonathan Stempel, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Century Fox, Court, REUTERS, Fox, U.S, New, Attorney, Saturday, U.S . Department of Justice, FIFA, Fox International, South, CONMEBOL, Copa Libertadores, North, CONCACAF, Argentine, Thomson Locations: Brooklyn New York City, U.S, Argentine, Brooklyn, U.S ., South American, North American, New York

Less than six months after a federal jury convicted a former Fox employee and an Argentine sports marketing company of participating in a scheme to pay bribes in exchange for lucrative soccer broadcasting contracts, a judge in Brooklyn vacated the convictions on Friday. In a 55-page ruling, the judge, Pamela K. Chen, concluded that the federal wire fraud statute under which the defendants had been convicted did not apply to their actions. In a seven-week trial that ended in March, prosecutors alleged that Hernán López, who holds dual American and Argentine citizenship and who until 2016 worked for a unit of what was then known as 21st Century Fox, had been part of a scheme to make millions of dollars in secret annual payments to the presidents of national soccer federations in order to secure the rights to two widely viewed South American soccer tournaments. Mr. Lopez — who prosecutors also said had leveraged loyalty he garnered through bribes to help Fox beat out ESPN in its bid for the U.S. broadcasting rights for the 2018 and 2022 men’s World Cups — was convicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy and one count of wire fraud conspiracy. He faced up to 40 years in prison.

Persons: Pamela K, Chen, Hernán López, Lopez —, — Organizations: Fox, Argentine, Century Fox, ESPN, U.S Locations: Argentine, Brooklyn, American

☆ Former Fox Executive Found Guilty in FIFA Bribery Scheme
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( James Fanelli | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Hernan Lopez is the former head of Fox International Channels, a subsidiary of 21st Century Fox. A New York federal jury found a former 21st Century Fox executive guilty of bribing FIFA officials for the broadcasting rights to lucrative soccer matches, but acquitted his former subordinate on the same charges. Hernan Lopez , the former head of subsidiary Fox International Channels, was convicted of conspiring to commit wire fraud and launder money, in a scheme to make tens of millions of dollars in illicit payments and kickbacks between 2000 and 2015 to South American soccer officials in exchange for the broadcasting rights to the region’s most popular club tournament, the Copa Libertadores, and other matches. His co-defendant, Carlos Martinez, was found not guilty of the two counts.

☆ Former Fox exec convicted in FIFA bribery case, other acquitted
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jurors found Hernan Lopez guilty but acquitted Carlos Martinez on the same charges. Martinez and Lopez denied wrongdoing. A lawyer for Burzaco denied those claims. Lawyers for Martinez and Lopez denied Burzaco's account and said their clients were unaware of his scheme. Prosecutors said Burzaco’s testimony was “devastating” and alleged that emails showed him discussing the bribes with Martinez and Lopez in coded terms.

The case stems from a sweeping probe of corruption in international soccer and its world governing body, FIFA. The government’s case hinges largely on the testimony of Argentine businessman Alejandro Burzaco, who has pleaded guilty to bribing soccer officials but has yet to be sentenced. Burzaco told jurors that Martinez and Lopez were aware of and approved the scheme, which he said they discussed during multiple meetings. Lawyers for Martinez and Lopez told jurors during closing arguments on Friday that their clients were unaware of Burzaco’s scheme. Prosecutors said Burzaco’s testimony was “devastating” and alleged that emails showed him discussing the bribes with Martinez and Lopez in coded terms.

March 3 (Reuters) - Lawyers for two former 21st Century Fox executives accused of bribing South American soccer officials assailed the credibility of the government’s star witness on Friday, as their seven-week trial draws to a close. Cooperating witness Alejandro Burzaco testified that his former business partners knew about and approved the bribes. The case is part of a sweeping corruption probe of global soccer and its governing body, FIFA. Full Play Group SA, a co-defendant in the case, is also accused of bribing soccer officials. The Argentina-based sports marketing company’s lawyers have argued bribery is an entrenched part of doing business in South America and therefore not fraudulent activity.

☆ Mexico's Televisa reaches $95 mln investor settlement over FIFA bribery role
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] The logo of broadcaster Televisa is seen outside its headquarters in Mexico City, Mexico, December 14, 2022. REUTERS/Raquel Cunha/File PhotoNEW YORK, March 1 (Reuters) - Grupo Televisa SAB (TLEVISACPO.MX) has reached a $95 million settlement to resolve a U.S. investor lawsuit accusing the Mexican broadcaster of bribing FIFA soccer officials to win rights to four World Cup tournaments. Investors said they suffered losses as the bribery became known during corruption trials in Brooklyn, New York, causing the ADR price to fall. Its law firm Boies, Schiller & Flexner may seek up to $28.5 million of the settlement in fees and $3.5 million for expenses. The case is In re Grupo Televisa Securities Litigation, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No.

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☆ Former Fox execs conspired to bribe FIFA officials, prosecution witness says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Jack Queen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - An Argentine businessman testified on Wednesday that two former 21st Century Fox executives and a sports marketing company conspired with him to bribe South American soccer officials and secure lucrative broadcasting rights. FILE PHOTO: Businessman Alejandro Burzaco (R) of Argentina arrives at the Federal Court in Brooklyn, New York, September 18, 2015. Burzaco said that he, Lopez and Martinez collectively paid up to $32 million in bribes together. Full Play Group paid or committed to pay up to $90 million, he said. Lopez, Martinez and Full Play Group have pleaded not guilty to crimes including wire fraud and money laundering.

☆ Former Fox execs' FIFA case about 'corruption of international soccer,' prosecutor says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Jack Queen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The charges are part of a long-running corruption probe surrounding FIFA, the world governing body for soccer. "This case is about the corruption of international soccer," prosecutor Victor Zapana told jurors in opening statements, saying the alleged scheme funneled money that could have gone towards building stadiums and developing youth and women's leagues into the pockets of corrupt officials. An attorney for Full Play Group said the allegedly illicit payments were "expected, asked for and even demanded" by South American soccer officials. An attorney for Lopez told jurors his client was not aware of the bribes and immediately reported them to Fox upon learning of them. The charges are part of a sprawling FIFA corruption probe unveiled in May 2015.

☆ Former Executives of Fox Subsidiary Face Trial in FIFA Bribery Case
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( James Fanelli | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The World Cup closing ceremony before the final match between Argentina and France last month in Qatar. Two former executives of a 21st Century Fox subsidiary are set to go on trial beginning this week on charges that they bribed FIFA officials to secure broadcasting rights to soccer matches, the latest in a string of U.S. prosecutions alleging wide-ranging corruption in the sport’s international governing body. Hernan Lopez and Carlos Martinez , defendants in a Brooklyn federal court, are accused of working with others to make millions of dollars in illicit payments and kickbacks between 2000 and 2015 to South American soccer officials in exchange for the broadcasting rights to the region’s most popular club tournament, the Copa Libertadores, and other matches.

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